


On Its Wings

by Rina_san28



Series: Unbroken [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, F/M, M/M, Mandalorian Culture, More characters will be added as we go, Multi, Pre-Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Team as Family, lots of lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:19:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22330966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rina_san28/pseuds/Rina_san28
Summary: On a mission gone sideways, Obi-Wan and Anakin are saved by luck in the most unlikely of places. Perhaps they can offer some luck in return.
Relationships: Ana Amari/Fareeha "Pharah" Amari's Father, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison
Series: Unbroken [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1607422
Comments: 10
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this is wild, even for me. But I wrote this and a few other 'verse fics a few months ago and honestly I just really want to see where it goes. Let's call this our little experiment, shall we? 
> 
> This takes place two years before Attack of the Clones.

Something went wrong on every mission. If nothing went wrong, then you hadn’t done your job properly, Qui-Gon had always told him. Obi-Wan had thought it an excuse at times for the man’s wayward behavior…until he got missions of his own.

This time, it was the departure.

The spaceport they’d landed at had been decent – nothing too flashy, but still outside of the area where ships were hijacked on the regular. He supposed he probably should have taken into account the pettiness of their clients, but with negotiations successful and both parties seemingly satisfied, he was more than happy to put the mission behind him as he and Anakin departed ahead of schedule with a clear calendar for the foreseeable future.

Anakin plugged the coordinates into the navicomputer and sent them off into hyperspace. “I’d say that was another mission nicely done, Master,” he said, slouching down in his seat as the stars streaked by. “If only all of them went that well.”

“As long as you are nearby, my young Padawan,” Obi-Wan teased with a fond tug on the boy’s braid, “I don’t believe such a success rate is possible.”

“Hey, lay off!” Anakin swatted at him, smile betraying his own amusement. “We’ve got about nine hours in hyperspace. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving,” Obi-Wan pointed out, but Anakin just strolled past him out of the cockpit, his recent growth spurt turning his usual grace into a lanky swagger.

“Yup.”

The two fell into their normal post-mission ritual of unwinding, bickering, swapping stories, and mercilessly making fun of each other, (“You forgot the word for _sun_ , Anakin! You lived on Tattooine!” “There’s thirty different words for sun in Huttese! I’d like to see you run through a whole dictionary in your head!”), but were interrupted when the ship made an unpleasant jolt.

“What was that?” Obi-Wan asked warily, picking himself off the floor.

Anakin jogged back to the cockpit and let out a string of colorful language. “The hyperdrive plopped us out early! We were only in for two hours!”

“Can you tell what caused it?”

“I’m trying, but the computer’s just coming up-” The entire ship went dark. “…Well, fuck.”

“Language,” Obi-Wan corrected automatically, and yanked open a panel over his head. “Emergency power is on, but this isn’t exactly a high-quality ship. Can you tell where we are?”

“Nope. The EP doesn’t extend to the damn map for some reason.” Anakin punched the control panel in frustration. “Unless we can get power back, we’re stranded.”

“Lovely.”

\-----

They worked for hours. Every test Anakin ran failed regardless of how he tweaked the systems. The long-range comm lines had been sliced up beyond the point of repair, and the engine access hatches were welded shut. (“We could use a lightsaber?” “Absolutely not.”) Just as Anakin began the thirtieth diagnostic with an optimistic _it-could-work-this-time_ attitude, Obi-Wan’s attention was diverted by what he could only describe as a Force _poke_.

He blinked. “Did you feel that?”

“Feel what?” Anakin asked, then twitched. “Oh. That.” He scrunched up his face. “Did someone just poke me?”

“That’s what I would call it,” Obi-Wan said, stroking his beard in thought. “What are the chances there could be-” _Beep beep._

“Was that the comm?” he asked.

_Beep beep._

Anakin darted over. “It’s the local one. There must be a ship near…oh.” He pointed out the window behind them, and Obi-Wan turned to see a massive freighter floating in the abyss beside them.

“They might be our best hope,” he said with a sigh. He pressed the activation switch, but was rewarded only with static. “Can you boost the signal?”

“I’m trying,” Anakin said. He ripped out a blue wire and re-tied it to a yellow one. “It looks like they’re boosting us, too. Nice of them.” He pushed the wires back into place, resolving the crackle into words.

_“-you copy?”_ A pause, then the concern-tinted voice spoke again. _“_ Sunmelt _, this is the_ Watchpoint _. We are willing to render aid and transport if needed. Do you copy?”_

Obi-Wan thumbed the mic. “ _Watchpoint_ , this is _Sunmelt_. Our ship appears to have been sabotaged, so any assistance you offer will be greatly appreciated.”

_“We are happy to help,_ Sunmelt _,”_ the man said. _“Give us a few minutes to get to you and we can tow you into our bay.”_

“Acknowledged, thank you,” Obi-Wan replied, sigh of relief barely suppressed. “We will see you shortly.”

_“See you in a few._ Watchpoint _out.”_

\-----

The _Sunmelt_ managed to land in the _Watchpoint_ ’s bay with little problem, much to Anakin’s annoyance.

“The one thing that works the way it’s supposed to on the whole ship is the landing gear!” he grumbled loudly, tugging on a clean tunic.

“The life support worked,” Obi-wan said.

“Maybe it shouldn’t have.”

He glanced out the cockpit window to see three figures walking towards the ship, all of them dressed in head-to-toe Mandalorian armor. Instinct leftover from a year on the run urged him to find another way out, hide in the deck panels, anything other than go outside. The more rational part of his mind, however, recalled the genuine concern in the voice of their contact, and how there was an immediate offer of assistance without any mention of recompense. “I suppose we should go say hello.” He punched the button for the ramp – if he used a bit more force than normal, Anakin certainly wouldn’t tell anyone – and reached out with the Force, flitting curiously around their hosts.

Evidently Anakin had done the same, as his eyebrows shot up in surprise. “They’re so bright,” he marveled.

“I think we found out who poked us,” Obi-Wan said, amused. Once the ramp touched ground, he headed out, Anakin at his heels. “Hello, there!” he called. “Thank you very much for your assistance. My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is my student, Anakin Skywalker.” They bowed as one, a rare feat when Anakin was involved.

“We’re always happy to help,” the figure in the center said. He was tall and broad, armor mostly black except for the red slashes on the cheeks of his helmet. “Name’s Reaper. Soldier’s to my right-” he nodded to the equally tall figure armored in blue, “-and Shrike’s to my left,” he said, nodding in turn to the tiny figure armored in purple and jet. “ _Olarom_ , Master Jedi – my kids are gonna be real excited to see a pair of you folks in person.”

“ _Vor entye_ ,” Obi-Wan replied. “We are always happy to meet little ones, aren’t we Anakin?” He snorted at the exasperated look he received. “It has been quite a while since I’ve met a Mandalorian. In fact, last time I did, they were trying to kill me, so this is a welcome change.”

Soldier let out something that might have been a laugh. “You must not have met some great Mandalorians, then,” he said, voice deep and graveled. “C’mon, we’re about to have some dinner. Things’ll get a lot less formal there, I promise – my husband is just a stickler for tradition.”

“Dammit Jackie, it’s called being nice!” Reaper snapped.

Shrike sighed. “Once they get started, it’s difficult to make them stop,” she said as the men deteriorated into fond bickering. She took off her helmet, shaking down a long, black braid, and smiled, the motion crinkling the tattoo under her left eye. The right was covered by an eyepatch. “Ana Amari – a pleasure. My apologies for the poking, but I wanted to be sure there were living people inside your ship.”

“We were wondering about that,” Anakin said. “I’ve never been _poked_ before.”

Ana laughed, leading them out of the hangar and down a long, wide hallway. “You’ll get used to it if you’re here more than a day,” she said. “Many of our children are Force-sensitive to some degree, and all of them are _nosy_.” The last word was greeted by giggles from an unseen source, and their guide rolled her eyes. “They’re everywhere.”

Obi-Wan felt another _poke_ , this one much quicker and like a dare. Accepting the challenge, he reached out with the Force and, finding the little light creeping along behind them, _poked_ back just as quick. The giggle rang out again. “Who would our little tail be, then?”

Soldier – Jackie? – cocked his head to the side. “No footsteps,” he said, “so probably Zen. Little cyborg kid we broke out of an illegal testing facility a couple of years back,” he explained. “He floats instead of walking because he thinks it’s cooler.”

“Floating is extremely cool,” Anakin said. “It tops the scales of cool.”

“Great, now everybody’s gonna try and float,” Reaper grumbled, but there was no heat behind it. “Should’a baby-proofed the whole ship instead of just Torb and Ingrid’s hall.”

“Do you take in a lot of children, then?” Obi-Wan asked. If he watched, he could just catch the shadow of a little boy on the walls.

“We free and rehabilitate all ages,” Soldier said, “but the kids tend to stay with us. It’s hard to adopt out ex-slaves and tragedy orphans. Turns out parents want kids without ‘pre-existing conditions’.”

Obi-Wan could feel Anakin burning with curiosity. “People after my own heart,” he said.

Anakin, as always, couldn’t restrain himself. “I was a slave, too!” he said. “Obi-Wan’s late teacher freed me in a bet when I was nine.”

“I wondered,” Soldier admitted. “I was born a slave in the Outer Rim’s agricultural center, and my mother grew up with some Skywalkers.”

“My mom was given the name by one of her masters,” Anakin said. “I don’t know what her birth name is.”

“Pretty common,” Reaper commented, “especially if they’re really young. Jack and I just adopted a little girl we took from a pleasure house, and they just called her ‘Runt’.”

“How many children do you have?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Lena’s our third and youngest at two. We’ve got another daughter, Olivia, who’s six, and our son Jesse just turned thirteen.”

“My husband Sam and I have an eight-year-old biological daughter, Fareeha,” Ana said, “and we’re fostering a pair of brothers we just picked up.”

“Ana told us her name, but you guys didn’t,” Anakin said suddenly.

“Ah, my bad,” Reaper said. “Name’s Gabriel Reyes, and this is my husband, Jack Morrison. We’re the leaders of…whatever this is. Clan-lite.”

“You aren’t an official clan?” Obi-Wan asked in surprise.

“Nope,” Gabriel replied. “It’s a long story that the kiddos don’t need to hear. Besides, personal quarters are right ahead. Let’s get some grub.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Writing Notes:**  
>  1\. I love the dynamic between Obi-Wan and Anakin in the Clone Wars series, so that relationship will be reflected in this series. Honestly, much of the Clone Wars thematic, aesthetic, and relationship trends will be reflected in this series because it did a much better job than the prequels at making this people feel like people, and that's all I'm going to say about that.  
> 2\. The first draft of this was from the Overwatch crew's perspective, but it just didn't feel like it was working all that well, so I switched it over and the flow definitely improved. However, the initial draft did make it clear that Sam, Ana's husband, was the one who made first contact. If you're at all familiar with my Overwatch series, I'll be using the same characterization for Sam, with reasonable adjustments for being, y'know, in Star Wars instead.  
> 3\. Gabriel is the only one who is was born on Mandalore and is "Mandalorian" by blood. Everyone else is by adoption, so essentially exactly as it seems to happen in canon and therefore totally normal.  
> 4\. Ana, Gabe, Jack, and Obi-Wan are all in their 30s. Anakin is 17.  
> 5\. Not everyone in the crew has stayed the species they are in Overwatch canon! Ana, for example, is Mirialan, the same species as Luminara Unduli and Barriss Offee.  
> 6\. Take note of the ages here. I've timed everything very carefully so that during the Clone Wars, the original Overwatch or "old guard" are right about the age they would have been during the Omnic Crisis, and everyone is their Overwatch canon ages (with some adjustments due to changes of species or, in the case of D.Va, convenience) during the events of A New Hope. 
> 
> I have not yet written a full second chapter to this, but it is in progress. As an advanced warning, updates will be randomly timed as I am in the second semester of my senior year at university and am in the process of applying to graduate school, so real life takes priority right now. Thank you for understanding ♥ 
> 
> I have a full timeline and character profiles written out for this, so feel free to ask questions! I'm more than happy to answer them. I can be reached here, on Tumblr as rina-san28, or on Twitter as @Madds_rosie! See you next time!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back! Sorry it took so long - life has been wild. In the time since the first chapter was posted, I went on a mini-vacation, got quarantined, graduated college, and got a job, so obviously I had to pick my battles. 
> 
> Enjoy!

If Obi-Wan didn’t know for sure he was on a ship when they entered the living quarters he never would have guessed.

Gabriel and Jack led them into a brightly-lit, nicely-decorated room. All of the standard hard-backed ship seats had been replaced with plushy chairs and couches, and colorful rugs lined the floor. To Obi-Wan’s amusement, the walls were absolutely covered with children’s drawings done with a variety of skill; clearly children were important to this clan, a welcome change from his last encounter with Mandalorians.

“Sorry about the mess,” Jack said, pushing aside a model fighter with his foot. “Bit hard to keep things clean when there’s kids all over.”

“Oh, no bother,” Obi-Wan said easily, “Anakin’s room is far worse, I assure you.”

“Hey!”

Rolling her eyes, Ana slipped past them and ducked her head into the next doorway. “Set two more places, would you, _habibti?_ We have guests.”

“Are they the shiny people?” a little voice chimed from out of sight.

“Yes, dear, it’s the shiny people. They’ve had a hard day, so be nice.”

Jack swept an inviting hand towards the doorway. “Mess is right in there. Everything we’ve got tonight is human-friendly, so you don’t need to worry about that much.”

Offering nods of thanks, enthusiastically on Anakin’s part, the pair stepped into another colorful room. The floor was lined with tables of varying heights, and it was easy to see why when the cook came into view.

“Hello there!” Behind the counter was an absolute giant of a man. Two Besalisks could have stood between his shoulders with room to spare, and he had to duck nearly in half to see them under the hood, offering a grin that crinkled the scar tissue covering the ruins of his left eye. “I hear you two will be joining us for dinner!” he boomed, the sound nearly blowing Obi-Wan’s hair back. “How does roast nerf sound tonight?”

Anakin groaned. “Incredible.”

“Ah, growing boy!” The man plopped two good-sized slices on plates, along with a fruit and what was probably some form of starch. “Eat up! You too, Master Jedi – maybe you’ll still grow more than this one, hmm?” He let out a deep belly laugh before turning his attention to Ana, whose expression gave away her own amusement. Taking the dismissal for what it was, Obi-Wan took his plate and led Anakin over to where Gabriel was sitting, a plate already in front of him.

“I see you survived Reinhardt,” he said, finally removing his helmet. “Congratulations.” The Mandalorian offered the pair a smirk, the expression highlighting the deep, craggy scars that covered his face. He ran a hand through his hair, prematurely streaked with silver. “He can be a bit much sometimes.”

“He’s huge,” Anakin said. “How did he get that big?”

“I asked him once,” said a voice from behind them. “He just said I needed to eat my bread crusts.” Obi-Wan turned to find a boy no older than twelve with a shock of bright green hair. An older boy stood just behind him, head in his hands. It was no great leap to guess that they were brothers.

“He’s right, you know,” Obi-Wan said, deadpan. “I didn’t eat my bread crusts, and now I will always be smaller than my Padawan. It’s a sad existence.”

The boy nodded. “I like you,” he declared. “You’re funny. I’m Genji, and this is my big bother, Hanzo.”

“ _Brother,_ ” Hanzo corrected tiredly. “I am your big _brother_.”

Genji grinned, wide and wicked. “You’ll always be a _bother_ to me! Gotcha!”

“Boys, knock it off,” a tall, long-haired man scolded as he joined them. “Go get your food before Jesse and Fareeha eat it all.” The two rushed off, and Obi-Wan got the feeling that the threat was a legitimate one. “Nice to meet you two,” the newcomer said, offering a hand to shake. “Name’s Sam, Ana’s husband. I was the one who hailed you earlier.”

“Ah, yes! Wonderful to put a face to the voice,” Obi-Wan said. “Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is Anakin.”

“Nife to mee’ oo,” Anakin said through a mouthful of nerf. At Obi-Wan’s quelling look, he quickly swallowed and tried again. “Nice to meet you, too.”

Sam just grinned. “No worries, Master Jedi,” he said, “I know how kids work.” He plopped down into the chair across from Anakin. “What got you stuck out in the middle of nowhere?”

“Our ship was sabotaged at the spaceport during our last mission,” Anakin said. “It was pretty neatly done – we didn’t even notice something was wrong until _everything_ was wrong.”

“We’ll have Torbjörn take a look at it for you first thing in the morning,” Sam promised. “If we can’t fix it, we’ll just take you back to Coruscant.”

“You think your guy would mind if I joined him?”

“He would love it.”

Conversation flowed easily, even as more and more new faces piled in. They were introduced in quick succession to the other dozen children, ranging in age from two to fifteen, as well as Torbjörn and his wife Ingrid, Moira, the crew’s doctor, Mina, their robotics expert, and Sojourn, who Jack described as the group’s powerhouse.

“We have more that come and go,” Jack said, “but this is our main group.”

“What do you mean ‘come and go’?” Obi-Wan asked, curious.

“They’re not…family, per say,” Jack explained. “More like the friends who crash on your couch between jobs. We love ‘em dearly, but they aren’t brothers or kids. Make sense?”

Obi-Wan’s thoughts flickered to Quinlan Vos. “Perfectly.”

Anakin, meanwhile, was quickly swarmed with younglings.

“You feel weird in the Force,” one of the older girls, Angela, commented. “Like Uncle Gabe, but…wigglier?”

“Your uncle has pretty stiff shields,” Anakin said. “I’m still learning. You guys feel kinda wiggly to me, too, except for Hanzo.”

“Hanzo has a stick up his butt, that’s why,” Amélie said bluntly.

Angela elbowed the little Keshiri in the ribs. “That’s rude, Amie!”

“It’s true!”

“Maybe it is, but you don’t gotta say it,” Jesse chimed in. Long having finished his dinner, he and Olivia were methodically dismantling his prosthetic arm.

“Do you…know how to put that all back?” Anakin asked.

Jesse shrugged. “Probably.”

“Jesse, if you’re doing what I think you’re doing, you’d better knock it off,” Mina called. The guilty parties exchanged knowing looks and promptly bolted. She sighed. “I swear, one of these days he’ll break it for real.”

“Then that’ll be his problem,” Jack said. “Kid needs to learn responsibility.”

“You could teach him that by getting him a lothcat.”

Fareeha perked up. “Jesse’s getting a lothcat?”

“No one’s getting a lothcat,” Sam said firmly.

“Aw…”

Moira stood, stretching her long, lanky form until Obi-Wan heard a crack. “Clean-up time, _clann._ Since Olivia and Jesse skipped out, they can clean up breakfast tomorrow instead of Angela and Hanzo, hmm?” As she rallied the troops, Jack cleaned Lena’s meal off of her face.

“I think it’s somebody’s bedtime, huh?” he said.

The tot scrunched up her face. “No.”

“No?” Jack asked.

“Nuh-uh.”

“Reeeeeally?” he asked again, squeezing the word out with a silly grin.

“Noooo,” she repeated, but her resolve was clearly crumbling as she giggled at her dad’s antics.

“Well, we’re going anyway,” Jack said. He scooped her up, kissed his husband on the cheek, then nodded at Obi-Wan and Anakin. “Have a good night, you two. See you in the morning.” With one last token protest from Lena, the two disappeared into the corridor.

“Is there anything you need off of your ship?” Sojourn asked.

“We both grabbed our rucksacks,” Anakin said, holding his up, “so we’re good.”

“I’ll show you your rooms then.” She led them out the way they came, turning down a small hallway Obi-Wan hadn’t noticed previously, then stopped at a blue painted door. “This is our guest quarters,” she said. “There’s three bedrooms and bathroom, plus a little workstation with tools if you have any equipment that needs tweaking. If you need anything, there’s a commlink at the door that’ll connect you to our A.I., Athena, and she can sort you out from there. Breakfast is at 0900 standard right back the way we came. It’s Jack’s turn to cook and that means a pancake bar, so you don’t wanna miss that.”

“Thank you so much for your hospitality,” Obi-Wan said, wincing internally at how formal it sounded.

Their guide seemed to understand, offering a nod and smile in return. “Anytime, Master Jedi. This is the Way.” With that, she went further down the hallway and disappeared around the bend.

“It’s been quite a while since I’ve heard that,” Obi-Wan said quietly, and Anakin nodded in acknowledgement before sliding into their quarters.

\-----

Breakfast was, in a word, decadent. Jack had prepared more toppings and additions than Obi-Wan had ever seen, and it took every ounce of restraint he had available to only take what he knew he could finish.

The atmosphere was, if possible, even more relaxed than the previous night. Clearly more comfortable with their unexpected guests, the Mandalorians had ditched their beskar for civilian clothes. For the first time, Obi-Wan could clearly see the cost of the lives they led; all were heavily scarred, and nearly half the room had some kind of prosthetic.

“We can go work on the ship right after breakfast, if you want to join me, lad,” Torbjörn told Anakin. “Just a warning, though, from what you were saying last night, it sounds like we might need some more parts.”

“We appreciate anything you can do to help,” Anakin said.

“You’ve got a good kid,” Gabriel said quietly.

Obi-Wan nodded. “I do,” he agreed. “I am very proud of how far he’s come.”

“There’s a story there,” the Mando said. “You’ll have to tell me later.”

“Of course.”

The group finished and split up quickly, and Obi-Wan soon found himself sitting on a crate with Gabriel and Ana while his padawan crawled around their ship with his new best friend. Outside of their beskar, he could truly appreciate just how powerfully his hosts were built and catch small gestures armor prevented – Ana played with her hair, Torbjörn tinkered with his prosthetic, and Gabriel, apparently, traced a particularly knotted scar on his forearm when he was considering something.

“You said that the last time you met a Mandalorian, they were trying to kill you,” the man said finally.

Despite his best efforts, Obi-Wan winced. _Of course_. “Yes, I did.”

“What happened?”

He rolled through the events in his head, trying to figure out where best to start. _So my master and I fought a lot and then I met the duchess of Mandalore and we had a little love affair while trying not to die. When’s lunch?_ “How much do you know about the Mandalorian Civil War?” he asked instead.

Ana’s head snapped over to look at him. “You’re too young to have been involved in that,” she said.

“I was fifteen,” he said, “two years into a…tumultuous apprenticeship with my late Master. Qui-Gon Jinn was a negotiator of great renown, so we were sent to Mandalore when the Duke died. Two factions were vying for control: Clan Kryze and their New Mandalore movement, of which the Duke was the former head, and a group of insurgents known as Death Watch. The negotiations were doomed before they even began. My Master stayed in the capitol to try and salvage things while I was sent on the run with the heir apparent, Satine Kryze, who was also fifteen. It was…awful.” He swallowed the bile that crept up and continued. “They sent bounty hunters after us. Allies would shelter us and two days later we’d learn they’d been tortured to death for it. We spent three weeks hiding in a swamp, taking turns holding each other upright while we slept in the march.”

Ana and Gabriel looked horrified. “How long were you out there?” Gabriel asked.

Obi-Wan smiled humorlessly. “A year.” Sighing, he watched Anakin _jump_ on top of the ship to check something. “I almost left the Order for her when it was over,” he said, “but she encouraged me to do my duty.”

“So she made it?”

“Duchess Satine Kryze runs a peaceful world,” he said. “Mandalore has been pacifist for around twenty-five years now.”

“That’s good to hear, at least.” Gabriel leaned back on his elbows. “Jack and I were probably still in the arena back then.”

“You survived the arena?” Anakin materialized in front of them. “That’s wizard. I mean, the _arena_ isn’t wizard, but-”

“I get it, kid, I get it,” the man chuckled. “We’ll compare backstories another day.”

Torbjörn joined them, frowning as he cleaned his hands on a rag. “It’s not looking good, Master Jedi,” he said. “If we’re getting you back to Coruscant, we’ll have to pick up some serious parts, and I don’t think the rest of your Order would like a pack of Mandos on their doorstep.”

Gabriel suddenly got an odd look on his face. Raising an eyebrow, he turned to Ana, and from the _ripples_ around them Obi-Wan got the impression they were having a mental conversation. _Interesting_.

“How about we strike up a deal?” Gabriel said after a moment. “You know the Duchess of Mandalore pretty well, I’d say-” Anakin snickered, quieted by a small kick from Obi-Wan, “-and to be reinstated as a clan, I need a sponsor. You do that, we take care of everything you need for your ship. How does that sound?”

_You don’t have to go back there if you don’t want to, Master,_ Anakin said through their training bond. _I know a lot happened there._

_The world won’t stop because I have nightmares, Anakin. I’ll have to face them at some point, and I’d rather do it today if I have you by my side._ The boy _sparkled_ a bit at the praise. _Also, I’d quite like to keep them as friends, wouldn’t you?_

_I like them a lot, I’m not going to lie._

“We’ll do it,” Obi-Wan said aloud.

“Great.” Gabriel stood, the set of his shoulders relieved. “I’ll let the others know and we’ll set a course.” Plan settled, he disappeared deeper into the ship.

“You’re a brave man, Master Kenobi,” Ana said. She squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. “We are forever in your debt.”

“Our first names are fine, Ana,” Obi-Wan said, “it’s always nice to have a Mando or two on your side.”

“Well,” she chuckled, “now you have twenty, _sadiqi,_ and many more to come." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Writing Notes:**   
> **Notes during this series are going to be FULL of lore, if that's your jam**  
> 1) Is it just me, or does the Mandalorian Creed seem to mandate adoption? I like it.   
> 2) I think I said it in the last chapter, too, but I LOVE describing the Force and how it feels to use since we never really get descriptions of any kind. The concept of it is fascinating to me.   
> 3) Not everybody is human! I tried to mix things up as much as I could.   
> 4) Hanzo and Genji are 14 and 11, respectively. They're new additions at this point.   
> 5) I started writing this before Echo was released, but once they identified Dr. Mina Liao I knew I had to add her. She is just so cool.   
> 6) One of the "friends that crashes on the couch" is Jango Fett. Fun Fact. I'm trying my best to ensure that these guys aren't isolated. They have a big part to play.   
> 7) Ah, Quinlan. What a guy.   
> 8) Amelie is a Keshiri, which is a species that has really only come up in the extended universe comics. They're purple-skinned, blue/black-haired, near-humans native to the planet Kesh. I think you can see the connection.   
> 9) I think Fareeha might want a lothcat.   
> 10) Lena is a 2yo Pantoran with a strange ability to clip through time. Mina made her a special chronal harness that locks her to the present and stops her from zipping around, which was causing a lot of issues for her dads. Winston, who isn't born yet when this takes place, will later improve it so that she can use her "blinking" to her advantage.   
> 11) I can't wait to see Sojourn, I am so excited.   
> 12) Ana would have been 18 when the Mandalorian Civil War was happening. She and Sam were bounty hunters, so they likely were at least offered a puck or two related to it.   
> 13) Gabriel is a commander in his prime, remember that. I'm bringing in a lot of Blackwatch-Gabe for this one.   
> 14) Off to Mandalore we go! I'm going to say that the next chapter will likely be the last for this fic and then we'll move on to a new story. 
> 
> Next chapter is in the works! See you then!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, folks! Sorry this took so long. I've been battling an arm injury since late June and am now waiting on surgery, so we're just having a blast here in quarantine. Anyway, here's the final chapter of the introductory work and once my arm's healed we can get into the major plot points!

They dropped out of hyperspace three days later.

Obi-Wan stood next to Gabriel and Jack on the bridge, trying desperately to appear calm. From the _squeeze_ he felt from the twinkly warmness he now recognized as Ana’s presence, he knew his distress was obvious.

Jack turned and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Hey,” he said, gravelly voice gentle, “Obi-Wan, if this freaks you out too badly, you don’t have to do it. Gabe and I can probably handle it.”

“No, no, I promised,” Obi-Wan said. “Besides, I get an excuse to see a friend for the first time in quite a while.”

The ship’s comm beeped and Sam leaned over to check it. “Incoming call from Mandalore,” he said. “Gabe, you wanna go first?”

The Mando shrugged. “Why not?” He stepped closer to the console and hit the button. “ _Watchpoint.”_

“Watchpoint, _this is the Mandalorian Guard Corps. Please state your business.”_

Gabriel took a deep breath. “My name is Gabriel Reyes,” he said, “only surviving son of Clan Reyes. I’m coming home with my family to have my clan reinstated.”

There was a heartbeat of silence on the other end before their contact spoke again. _‘Olarom, ori’vod. You were lost, but now you are found. Please touch down at bay number three. Local time is 1100, and the Duchess will meet with you immediately. As a reminder, there are no weapons allowed on Mandalore, so leave any such weapons not built into your person onboard your ship.”_

_“Vor entye,_ ” Gabriel replied. “ _Watchpoint_ out.” Sam closed the channel and they began their slow descent into the planet’s atmosphere.

“Wow,” Jack said, “they got us in fast.”

Obi-Wan snorted, infinitely reassured. “When the Duchess answers the comms, she can get guests in when she pleases.” He bit his lip to keep from laughing at Jack’s sputtering, instead strolling out of the bridge to collect his padawan. “Better go clean up your children, Soldier. You wouldn’t want to keep the lady waiting.”

\-----

They landed in short order on one of Sundari’s outer platforms. From the small glimpse Obi-Wan could catch through the hatch, the capital city already looked worlds better than he and Qui-Gon had left it so long ago, and he felt a small rush of pride at what his friend had achieved. As their escort approached, the clan-to-be donned their helmets, nerves showing clearly in the Force. One child in particular, he noticed, was particularly concerned.

“Hanzo,” Obi-Wan murmured, “what worries you?”

“Genji and I come from the Shimada Clan,” the teen whispered. “Our parents worked with Death Watch. What if we get everybody else in trouble?”

_Death Watch?_ Obi-Wan filed that information away for later. “Duchess Satine will not judge children for the sins of their parents,” he said firmly. “You will be fine, I promise.”

Reassured, but clearly not convinced, Hanzo nodded and donned a helmet of his own just as the ramp lowered.

Gabriel and Jack strode down side by side, perfectly in step. It was a beautiful show of partnership that made Obi-Wan’s heart ache the smallest bit. The two stopped a meter apart from the three armored guards, none of them visibly armed, and made a gesture that Obi-Wan vaguely recognized as a traditional greeting which was immediately returned. The center of the three removed their helmet to reveal a familiar face.

“Bo Katan Kryze,” she said. Her face had lost the childish roundness it had when he last saw her, instead all angles much like her late father. “My sister is quite excited to meet you. Do you have a sponsor?”

“We do,” Gabriel confirmed, and Obi-Wan took that as his cue to descend.

When she noticed him, Bo Katan seemed to suppress a grin. “You couldn’t have picked a better man, Reyes. Call your family down and we’ll head inside.” As the rest of the group filtered out of the ship to follow the other two guards, Bo Katan joined the Jedi at the back. “I never thought I’d see you again, Obi-Wan. Last I’d heard you had sworn off ever coming back.”

“When a group of Mandos waltz their way into your life, you have to give them a second chance,” Obi-Wan said. He frowned at her. “You got tall.”

“Not my fault you stayed short, Master Jedi,” Bo Katan said. At Anakin’s snort, she finally seemed to take notice of him. “You have yourself a Padawan?”

“I do,” Obi-Wan said. “Bo, meet Anakin Skywalker. Anakin, this is Bo Katan Kryze, sister of Satine and, unless something’s changed, second in line to the throne.”

“The moment our nephew is of age, I’m stepping aside,” Bo Katan snorted. “I can’t stand politics.”

“How old is Korkie now? He was a newborn when I left.”

“Almost seventeen. My sister passed away a few years back after an illness, so Satine and I took him in.”

Obi-Wan bowed his head. “I’m sorry,” he said, tactfully refraining from naming the dead. “Is he doing alright?”

She shrugged. “As well as he can. He’s a good kid.” As they passed through the grand entrance and into the arched hall, she sighed. “Time to do my job,” she said. “I can’t wait to see Satine’s face when she sees you.” With one last snicker and a punch to Obi-Wan’s shoulder, she vanished.

“They had another sister?” Anakin asked. “I thought there were just the two.”

“The eldest stepped out of the line of succession for personal reasons,” Obi-Wan said. “I’ll tell you about her when we’re off planet – it’s considered disrespectful here to name the dead within the first five years outside of remembrances.” The boy nodded in understanding, and they followed the group in silence.

The palace was stunning. Sunlight filtered through a mix of stained and clear glass while various plants thrived in their wall nooks and beds. Still, every inch of the building was made for defense. There were cameras along the ceiling disguised as chandeliers, hidden in the vines, and in the eyes of statues. The structural elements were all designed in a way that no sniper could conceal themselves without being noticed from one angle or another. It was ingenious.

The group came to a halt before a large set of pattered doors, and the ritual began. Obi-Wan could see Bo Katan whisper something to Gabriel, who nodded, then took his place at the door. The man set his shoulders, then raised his fist and beat on the door three times.

“Who knocks?” The duchess’s voice rang through the hallway.

“Gabriel Reyes, come to reclaim his clan!”

“Who follows?”

“His husband, friends, and children!”

“Who sees?”

“A friend of many!”

“Enter, _ori’vod!_ Come home.”

The doors swung open and they marched inside. There were no spectators, not unusual for an event like this, and Obi-Wan’s eyes were drawn to Satine for the first time in years. She looked immeasurably regal in her traditional headpiece and gown, and instead of dwarfing her, her resplendent throne only served to elevate her. It was the role she had been born to fill.

As one, Clan Reyes and the Jedi knelt. “Duchess,” Gabriel said. “Thank you.”

Satine smiled. “It isn’t every day a lost brother returns home,” she said gently. “Stand, Gabriel. Introduce me.” As Gabriel named his family, Obi-Wan took a moment to brace himself. He could feel the nerves he had been trying to restrain rising through him. Through their training bond, Anakin began sending mental images of lothcat kits. _I have the best Padawan_. The boy _shimmered_ at the praise, and the two tuned back in to the proceedings.

“Your family is beautiful,” Satine was saying. “I just need to speak with your sponsor, and we can reconfirm your clan.” She raised her voice. “Who speaks for Clan Reyes?”

Obi-Wan swallowed, then straightened. “Obi-Wan Kenobi, Knight of the Jedi Order,” he declared. The group parted, and he walked as calmly as he could to the front, Anakin close at his heels. “I speak for Gabriel and his family with nothing but affection and respect.”

For the briefest of moments, Satine’s perfect composure cracked. “Indeed,” she whispered, then shook herself. “With such an endorsement, what else is truly required?” She held out a hand, accepted the blade Bo Katan offered, descended the stairs, and pressed the hilt into Gabriel’s hand. “This was the blade of your forefathers,” she said. “It was returned to us when your parents were killed and you were lost. Today it returns to Clan Reyes.”

Gabriel clutched it to his chest for a heartbeat, then reverently hung it on his belt. “Thank you, Duchess.”

“It is good to have another clan return to Mandalore after so long,” she said. “Please, follow my guards. We have lunch prepared for you – I’m sure your little ones are hungry.”

“They’re always hungry, Your Grace,” Gabriel joked. He took Jack’s hand and the two of them lead the charge into the dining hall. Obi-Wan moved to follow, but was stopped by a light touch on his shoulder.

“Duchess,” he said.

Satine’s voice was gentle. “May I speak with you for a moment, Master Jedi?”

“Of course. Anakin, go with the rest,” Obi-Wan said, “I’ll be there soon.” His padawan gave him a searching look, then jogged to catch up with the clan. Finally, Obi-Wan turned to face the woman he hadn’t seen in years. “It’s good to see you,” he said.

Satine hesitated, then reached out to touch his face. “You grew a beard.”

“I wanted to look grown up. You know how it is.”

“Was that your apprentice?”

“Yes, Anakin. He’s a good lad, if a bit headstrong. He has some growing to do yet, but I’m proud of him.” They were silent for a moment before Obi-Wan finally blurted out, “I’m sorry I didn’t write.”

“Obi-Wan-”

“I know I wasn’t the only one of us struggling,” he said. “I should have at least tried-”

“Obi.” Satine put both hands firmly on his shoulders. “If you forget, it takes two. I didn’t write either. It’s alright.” One hand slid down to take his. “I did miss you. I do. But I understand. We both have our duties.”

“We would probably have strangled each other,” Obi-Wan said with a rueful smile.

“Although you would have held the record for the number of times one person has left the Order,” Satine said.

The awkwardness melted into familiarity, and Obi-Wan relaxed for the first time in days. “I have much to tell you,” he said.

“I’d imagine.” Satine let go of his hand after a final squeeze and gestured to the door. “Let’s join the rest before your boy thinks I had you arrested.”

“Probably a good plan.”

“I do have those sometimes.”

\-----

“All fixed up, as promised!” Torbjörn declared, giving the hull of the _Sunmelt_ a good thump with his clawed hand. “She should be good as new – better even, heh!”

“Thank you, my friend,” Obi-Wan said. “I’m just impressed you managed to keep my Padawan’s attention for the entire afternoon.”

“He’s a bright lad, your boy,” the mechanic said warmly, “and welcome back in my workshop any time he pleases.”

“You’ll never get me to leave,” Anakin joked from where he was playing push-pull with Zenyatta. “Forget the Jedi, I’ll be a Mando!”

“Why not both?” Ana said. For some reason, her words echoed in Obi-Wan’s ears, but he shook the feeling off as she stood and brushed invisible dirt from her trousers. “We’d best not keep you too much longer; your Jedi will think we stole you.”

“You’re right.” Obi-Wan said reluctantly.

“Come now, Obi, no sad faces.” She pulled him down into a hug. “You know how to contact us. If you need anything at all, we are just a quick comm away.” Anakin stepped up and received the same treatment, and Obi-Wan would have been blind if he didn’t see the way the teenager curled into the embrace.

“Are you sure there’s nothing else we can help you with?” Jack asked, watching Anakin say his goodbyes to the children.

Obi-Wan bit his lip. “One thing,” he said. “Don’t tell Anakin.” Jack glanced at him sharply, but nodded. “He’s been having nightmares recently about his mother. They’ve been increasing in severity and I’m growing concerned about her condition. Ani has been known to experience prophetic dreams in the past.”

“You want us to check on her?”

“The last I’d heard through some of my contacts, Shmi Skywalker was still owned by the Toydarian my Master won Anakin from. I’ve been saving up what credits I can, but it will be years until I can buy her off of him. I know it’s a lot to ask, but-”

“We’ll get her out, I promise,” Jack said firmly. “We’ll make Tatooine our next stop.”

Obi-Wan let out a sigh. “Thank you.”

“No thanks required.” The taller man tilted his head and Obi-Wan got the feeling he was _talking_ to Gabriel. “I’m needed elsewhere, but please, don’t be strangers.”

“I get the feeling we’ll be seeing a great deal of each other.”

With a broad grin, Jack threw him a salute. “ _K’oyacyi,_ Master Jedi.”

“ _K’oyacyi,_ Soldier.”

“Master, c’mon!” Anakin shouted. “If we don’t get back soon Master Windu’s gonna be pissed.”

“Master Windu is always pissed,” Obi-Wan mumbled, but boarded the ship regardless. With one last longing glance out the window, the _Sunmelt_ raised from its bay and vanished off into space.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Writing Notes:**  
>  1) Obi-Wan has got to be practically shitting his pants with nerves. He doesn't have as much separation from those events in this story as he did when he met with Satine at the beginning of SWCW.   
> 2) It has been confirmed that Korkie Kryze is the son of a third Kryze sister who passed away. I'll be honest, I didn't want to name her just in case something else comes out about her in the future.   
> 3) Obi-Wan and Satine HAD to have a talk. They will not be an ongoing couple in this series - their relationship is in the past and both of them are okay with that. However, they are now extremely close friends.   
> 4) Look, I've gotta save Shmi, I've just gotta. 
> 
> I will be back as soon as typing for longer than 20 minutes doesn't hurt. See ya!


End file.
